Insulin Aspart; Insulin Aspart Protamine injection

What is this medicine?

INSULIN ASPART; INSULIN ASPART PROTAMINE (IN su lin AS part; IN su lin AS part PRO ta meen) is a human-made form of insulin. This drug lowers the amount of sugar in your blood. This medicine is a mixture of a rapid-acting insulin and a longer-acting insulin. It starts working 10 to 20 minutes after injection and continues to work for as long as 12 to 24 hours.

How should I use this medicine?

This medicine is for injection under the skin. Use exactly as directed. It is important to follow the directions given to you by your health care professional or doctor. You should inject this medicine within 15 minutes of starting your meal. You will be taught how to use this medicine and how to adjust doses for activities and illness. Do not use more insulin than prescribed. Do not use more or less often than prescribed.

Always check the appearance of your insulin before using it. This medicine should be white and cloudy. Do not use if it is not uniformly cloudy after mixing. To mix this medicine, roll the vial gently 10 times in your hands. Make sure to perform the mixing procedures before each injection. Do not mix this medicine with any other insulin or diluent. If you use a pen, be sure to take off the outer needle cover before using the dose. It is important that you put your used needles and syringes in a special sharps container. Do not put them in a trash can. If you do not have a sharps container, call your pharmacist or healthcare provider to get one.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue

NSAIDs, medicines for pain and inflammation, like ibuprofen or naproxen

octreotide

pasireotide

pentamidine

phenytoin

probenecid

quinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin

some herbal dietary supplements

steroid medicines such as prednisone or cortisone

sulfamethoxazole; trimethoprim

thyroid hormones

Some medications can hide the warning symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). You may need to monitor your blood sugar more closely if you are taking one of these medications. These include:

beta-blockers, often used for high blood pressure or heart problems (examples include atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol)

clonidine

guanethidine

reserpine

What if I miss a dose?

It is important not to miss a dose. Your health care professional or doctor should discuss a plan for missed doses with you. If you do miss a dose, follow their plan. Do not take double doses.

Where should I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store unopened insulin vials in a refrigerator between 2 and 8 degrees C (36 and 46 degrees F). Do not freeze or use if the insulin has been frozen. Opened vials (vials currently in use) may be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature, at approximately 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) or cooler. Keeping your insulin at room temperature decreases the amount of pain during injection. Once opened, your insulin can be used for 28 days. After 28 days, the vial of insulin should be thrown away.

Store unopened FlexPen in a refrigerator between 2 and 8 degrees C (36 and 46 degrees F.) Do not freeze or use if the insulin has been frozen. Once opened, the FlexPen should be kept at room temperature, at approximately 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) or cooler. Do not store in the refrigerator. Once opened, the insulin can be used for 14 days. After 14 days, the FlexPen should be thrown away.

Protect from light and excessive heat. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date or after the specified time for room temperature storage has passed.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

episodes of low blood sugar

eye disease, vision problems

kidney disease

liver disease

an unusual or allergic reaction to insulin, metacresol, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives

pregnant or trying to get pregnant

breast-feeding

What should I watch for while using this medicine?

Visit your health care professional or doctor for regular checks on your progress.

A test called the HbA1C (A1C) will be monitored. This is a simple blood test. It measures your blood sugar control over the last 2 to 3 months. You will receive this test every 3 to 6 months.

Learn how to check your blood sugar. Learn the symptoms of low and high blood sugar and how to manage them.

Always carry a quick-source of sugar with you in case you have symptoms of low blood sugar. Examples include hard sugar candy or glucose tablets. Make sure others know that you can choke if you eat or drink when you develop serious symptoms of low blood sugar, such as seizures or unconsciousness. They must get medical help at once.

Tell your doctor or health care professional if you have high blood sugar. You might need to change the dose of your medicine. If you are sick or exercising more than usual, you might need to change the dose of your medicine.

Do not skip meals. Ask your doctor or health care professional if you should avoid alcohol. Many nonprescription cough and cold products contain sugar or alcohol. These can affect blood sugar.

Make sure that you have the right kind of syringe for the type of insulin you use. Try not to change the brand and type of insulin or syringe unless your health care professional or doctor tells you to. Switching insulin brand or type can cause dangerously high or low blood sugar. Always keep an extra supply of insulin, syringes, and needles on hand. Use a syringe one time only. Throw away syringe and needle in a closed container to prevent accidental needle sticks.

Insulin pens and cartridges should never be shared. Even if the needle is changed, sharing may result in passing of viruses like hepatitis or HIV.

Each time you get a new box of pen needles, check to see if they are the same type as the ones you were trained to use. If not, ask your health care professional to show you how to use this new type properly.

Wear a medical ID bracelet or chain, and carry a card that describes your disease and details of your medicine and dosage times.